How To Tune To DADGAD

If you’re new to the world of alternate tunings, changing between all these different tunings can be a challenge. So I thought it would be worthwhile to post how-to videos for the different tunings that I use.

DADGAD is a good one to start with, because it’s closest to standard tuning. It also happens to be the tuning that I use for all of my Tool covers.

In order to tune to DADGAD we need to tune the two E-strings and the B-string down a whole step.

To tune down the low E-string:

Play the 12th fret harmonic on the low E-string and the open D string

OR play the 7th fret harmonic on the low E-string and the 12th fret harmonic on the A-string

OR play the 7th fret on the low E-string and the open A-string.

Play any of those and tune the E-string down until the two notes sound the same.

To tune down the B-string:

Play the 7th fret harmonic on the D-string and the 12th fret harmonic on the B-string

OR play the 2nd fret on the G-string and the open B-string

And finally, to tune down the high E-string:

Play the 7th fret harmonic on the G-string and the 12th fret harmonic on the E-string

OR play the 5th fret harmonic on the B-string and the 7th fret harmonic on the E-string.